Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-20
BLIZZARDS AND ICE GORGES.
MaMdan, IN Dakota. Flooded.
Many People I'm Danger.

BISMARCK, OAK, March 10. The
gorge at Sibley Island is still intact,
despite dynamite. The scene here to-
day is desolate and dreary. The river il
still over six miles in width. All last
night swinging light was seen in the
woods, and several vain attempts were
made to send party to the rescue. The
light was signal of distress from a
settler who, it is learned this morning by
looking through field-glass, has been
on the top of his stack since the rising OF
the waters, swinging lantern in the
hope of calling help. His stack is COM
pletely surrounded by waterand two miles
from the shore of the new-'nade stream,
and it is almost afoat. Two rescuing
parties were sent out this morning and
have found several families on the roofs
of houses. Field.glasses are being used
with good results, as numerous settlers
have been discovered, some being on
trees aud others on floating timbers.
M ,ndan is completely inundated and
tn /. water runs through the streets as if
in a millrace. The situation at the
river landing here is unchanged. The
water is still running through the
boarding houses and the river residences
up to the second story. The worst is
coming, as the great rise at Fort Buford
is now over half way here and will reach
this point some time tonight. This
will make the highest water known in
this part, and unless the gorge breaks at
Sibley Island, Mandan will be in dan
ger of humiliation. Little Heart river
flows into the Missouri just below Man
dan, and should the ice in this stream
break to-day or before the Buford
rise arrives the entire surplus of
water will be backed into Mandan.
The high treste of the Northern Pacific
is wrecked. Bismarck is the terminus
of the Northern Pacific. Yesterday 8
passenger train, with its load of people
bound for the Pacific coast, laid on the
side track here all night, and will not
be able to leave for several days. Re-
newed efforts to break the 6 rye at Sib.
ley Island will be made, The gorge
consists of six miles of solid
ice. wedged into the bottom of
the river, and piled to the height
of 30 feet. All mail routes are blocked,
the spowstorm has been transferred into
q binding blizzard, and it is feared that
rescuing parties will be lost. They are
out with small yawls, and with the blind
ing storm and current of ten miles an
hours, will be unable to guide their
craft or keep their bearings. o
A blizzard is raging tonight, and the
air is SO thick with snow that it is impos..
sible to see across the street. Relief
parties sent out this morning, about
whose safety the greatest concern was
felt. came back this afternoon on the
boat, bringing in "Dutch Mike" and
Thomas White, taken from house where
they had been for nearly "a hours, and
three yawls bringing II. Mccarthy and
wife and C. A. Beal, found on q little
mound opposite Fort Lincoln with the
water within six inches OF them. In
such blic ding storm the retnrn OF the
boats is little short of miraculous. The
report of the drowning of Superinten.
dent Graham on the Mandan side can
not be verified here, as there
is no communication. There is
snow running in the river, which
indicates that's the gorge is still holding
above Buford. The rise of thirty feet
cannot get here before tomorrow. The
train from the East to-day brought more
emigrants and there are now over iOO
here. The Northern Pacific is returning
free to the East passengers who desire H.